On my way out of a local bird rescue, I spotted Hope in the bottom of her cage. I had gone to the rescue to trade cages, not to adopt another parrot. But, after I noticed she had no toes. I felt so sorry for her and knew she would probably have a hard time being adopted. She was also flightless. Her parrot parents had bit all her toes off and her wing tips on her left wing. I had not planned on adding to my flock of 2 other parrots. But within 5 minutes of meeting Hope, there was no question, she was coming home with me. I knew I would make sure her limited world was the best it could be..

On the side of the cage as she sways back and forth, on her wooden plank **update** for the first time in Hope's life, she now has a perch made just for her-no more plank, on her sun perchs which are covered with soft material (see picture below). Hope loves to dance, whistle with me and say "come'er & "pretty bird".

Since Hope is toeless, I clean out her cage twice a day. I have precut paper cage liner just for her cage that I got off of ebay. I found out trying to do a real quick poop clean-up with a paper towel on her plank or the bottom of the cage without removing either from the cage to clean it, is unacceptable to her. She will come after my hand and the paper towel like a wild banchee and bite like there is no tomorrow. She doesn't just lunge, she bites and you have to unclamp her beak to detach her. I can honestly say, I have seen stars as a result.

She cleans my cage alot to make sure I don't step in poop. She feeds me twice a day with fruit, veggie, seeds, pellets and her homemade birdy biscuits. I love the head massages she gives me.

If she's not eating or sleeping, she is dancing. I hope this means she is happy. You can see Hope dance on www.youtube. com. Just look up "toeless hope". You can also see her get a head massage "Hope's head massage"..

The only thinks the "hand" is allowed to bring into my cage is food, water, toys and a new liner..

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01/27/2010 01:01.16 PM

New Valentine's Day Avatar Objects!Happy Valentine's Day from BirdChannel! Pick up your objects in the avatar shop today.

I really love the picture of you eating! You're really cute and I'm glad you have a good family that will take care of you with your toelessness! Just stopping by to all the Senegals on Bird Channel to write a note and drop a vote!

A Christmas WishHere's a Wish for all of you from all of us. Hoping you'll have the best Christmas Ever and keep happiness and good health with you through the following year.. Wing hugs and Love, The Chelmsford Gang and Mom

Hi Gayla & HopeI read your story and saw Hope's picture under the "Featured Species" for October's species of the month and I must say I was touched by it. The thought of a physically challenged bird alone and scared at a bird rescue just breaks my heart. I'm so glad you snatched her up and took her into your home. It sounds like your giving her lots of love and a great place to live. And, by her pictures she appears to be doing really well. Nice story. ~ Brian

Thank youAuntie Amy here. I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for thinking of Lola. She is flying free now with Spirit Wind, Skittles, Dusty, Alex, Kiwi and Pretty as well as so many others.. It would take me days to name all of the babies I know of who have passed. It's time for a NO VACANCIES sign to go up at the Rainbow Bridge.. Wing Hugs, Auntie Amy and Flock

Hi There HopeGimpy here. Mom says that's great about the vet wrap and hopefully you will be able to perch. Mom also got me a low table perch and put that stuff on it. The table perch has 3 perches on it so I can climb higher. She also plans to get me a play stand that my foster mom told her about. It is more for Cockatiels but I used to play on it there and I did very well. Let us know how it goes. It did not take me long to get the hang of perching but I still like to sit in my food bowl..lol By the way, mom is pretty sad this morning. My sister Lola a white faced Cockatiel flew to the Rainbow Bridge this morning. Yesterday my sister Leroya chased her off her cage and mom found her on the floor crying and checked her out real good. She stopped crying and mom didn't see and marks on her and she was acting fine after that. Mom thinks Leroya may have grabbed her and did damage to her neck that Mom could not see. She found Lola on the floor of her cage this morning not being able to breath and she passed away in mom's hands a few minutes later. Mom is really upset. Lola was such a sweet girl. She was Hippie Boy's girl friend and they were just starting to bond. He said his final goodbyes to her. Well, mom has to get ready to go out so we will talk to you later. Mom will bury Lola when Dad gets home later today. Please say a prayer for her safe flight to the Rainbow Bridge. Hugs, Gimpy

Hello Hope!I was flying by a friends page and saw your name pop up.. I just had to fly over to meet you! You are a lovely lady! Who says we ladies aren't talkers? I talk a mile a minute--I even mumble in my sleep-- and I'm all girl. Of course it is easier to tell that with us RBP's. I'll fly by again, but until then, V2u and ciao for now!

Hello HopeMy brother Gimpy has told me so much about you. He is really smitten with you..lol He says you two have so much in common. I hear you get around pretty well despite your handicap. That is just wonderful. My sister Lillian and I are in your family. We are cousins. I am a Brown Head and Lil is a red Belly. How do you handle times when your hormonal? I get a bit nippy. I don't nip my mom but I don't like the Conures or the Cockatiels at all. Mom has to keep a close eye on me so I don't hurt them when it's my breeding season. I am a re-home. My old Mom's asked mom to foster me a few years ago but then when they took me home after spending a month with my foster flock I screamed everyday for them and they knew I needed to be back with them. My mom's called Mom and asked her if I would be able to come and live with her for ever. Mom said she would be delighted. I have been here ever since and very happy. Well, I better go. I have to help Mom clean the cages. That's my job on her days off. Talk to you soon.. Hugs, Tegan

Hi HopeWow mom just went to my page to check on the new pictures she just posted of me. I got to go play in her bed for the photo shoot. Then I got to go outside in the sun for a while. Yes, I climb all over my cage with my twisted foot. Mom has a shelf for me too but I don't like to walk on the material mom has there. I am afraid of it so she puts my breakfast bowl on it and I eat from it there. I can perch on my perches because Mom put Vet wrap on them so I don't slip off. I also sit inside my seed bowl. I have also been known to sleep in it..lol Mom says she thinks I am a girl by the way. When she first got me I had a couple of tiny red feathers on my wings but now I have none and us White Fronts are the only Amazon that you can tell if we are male or female by looking at our feathers. I have 2 brothers who are regular white fronts and both have the red feathers. Even though I am a lesser white front if I was a boy I should still have red feathers. Mom also said I was a very good girl today because I let her clip what nails I do have with out her even having to towel me. I just sat there and let her do it. I am pretty proud of myself too..lol Well Hope it was great to hear from you and i hope I hear from you again real soon. Wing hugs and beak kisses, Gimpy

AwwwwHope you have the perfect name. There is hope for birdies who are handicap with mom's like ours. This is Waddles and I just came by to say thank you for the congrats but when I read your story my heart melted. My mom has a few handicap birds too. Gimpy is one who has no toes and a twisted foot. He was left on the porch of a rescue and we were asked to take him. He is such a sweet baby too. We also have a 24 year old Blind Cockatiel named Burgin, a Handicap Red Lored Amazon named Aztec and our African Grey Sadie has foot and wing problems as well. You are a very special baby in deed. A vote for a special wing hugs and beak kisses. Love, Waddles

Hi from Kito!Hi back at cha again! Guess what, we are having fresh corn for dinner too! For a snack today we had some cherry peppers...my face was totally covered in seeds! It's hard to tell from my pics but my eyes are a light-medium blue grey. There are some Sennies with blue eyes (they kind of look greyish) but mom thinks I still have till I'm a year old to tell if they will change. I am glad you stopped by, I like your pic's...messy face like me! Stop by soon! Kito

Hi from Kito!Hi Hope! I am sorry your birdie mom and dad werent very nice to you but am glad that your mommy found you and gave you a loving home. I bet if my mommy saw you she would have taken you home too! Stop by and visit sometime! Here's a vote for you! Kito

Hi from Turtle Bird!I Hope! I think you have a lovely name. But then, we Sennies are lovely and deserve great names, don't you agree?

Toes can be overrated. My Mom worries about mine getting nipped when I climb all over my flockmate Tweety's cage. I'll bet you get lots and lots of love, and that's all that matters, right?

Nice to meet you! If I could I'd share some of my yummy pasta and fruit dinner with you. You are a very, very pretty bird, and I hope you have a great summer! BTW you have a great motto. I wish every bird had a terrific person like yours to train. (WE train THEM, right?)

Hi Hope!!!Have your Palm Shredders arrived yet? Oh, I can't wait until you get to chew on them. I tear a little piece off, and then roll it around in my mouth for a little while, and then just keep doing that. Yum!!! How are you doing lately? I hope very well. Well, let me know when the shredders get there! I can't wait to hear if you like them right away, or if they'll take some getting used to for you. Have a wonderful day!!! :) Coconut

Howdy Hope!Mom posted pictures of my brother. He looks just like you but you are cuter. he he he! Don't tell mom I said that! he he he! Hey, he is my brother. We can have sibling rivalry...can't we? Mom said he won't be coming home until the middle of June. I guess I am anxious to meet him. Thanks for coming to visit me. ~Tootles~

Hope...a beautiful name for a beautiful birdie!Wow. I am glad to hear that you have a mommy who takes extra special care of you. I am sorry to hear about your tootsies. I had to come visit you since mom said I am going to be getting a brother who looks just like you. I am anxious to meet him. I think. Do you get along with your other birdie family members? I am so glad I came to meet you...

:)Oh, my Palm Shredders!!! I love them so... They are Wonderful!!! They're "spools" of woven palm leaves. Mom did a search for them so you could see a picture of what they look like. You can buy them online, but she just buys them at the pet store. They have them at several stores around here in Florida, so you should be able to find them in one. But here's what they look like - http://www.forotherlivingthings. com/pages/2/sub_cat/25/Shredders.html And here's what it looks like in the packaging... - http://www.busybeaks.com/77083-6_clr_shredders.htm She buys me the natural colored ones. Then, she cuts a length of a couple of feet, folds it in half, ties the end with the fold in it into a big knot & sticks the ends through the top of my cage or the side of my cage, with the knot sticking out on the outside. So there are these palm "tentacles" that I chew on. YUM YUM YUM!!! I'm sure you would love them. I didn't touch them for about a month after she got them for me, and then one day I decided to investigate, and I haven't quit munching on them since! I LOVE your story. Mom went home last night & told Grandma all about you. We all just think you & your Mom are awesome. You'll have to let me know if you like the Palm Shredders or not. I bet you will!!! Have a wonderful weekend!!! ♥~Coconut

hi little onei'm here to leave a note and vote my new little girl friend,hope everything its doing well on your end,i'll talk to you kater,mommy need to start dinner for the rest of the Family. beaky kisses Jango

Hi Hope!!!My Mom saw you on Lucky's page, and had to come and see "Toeless Hope". How wonderful that you got such a loving Mommy to take you home! That sounds like something our Mom would do too. Oh, and the Wings of Love Bird Haven sounds like a place that my Mom shouldn't go to, cause she'd bring everyone home with her!!! She's a softie. It's very nice to meet such a special bird. We're voting for you!!! ♥ ~Coconut & Bentley

Hi From LuckyThanks for the visit.Heres another vote for you to.Sorry for the misunderstandding I only go to the chiropractor once every three months.Not three times a week.That would really be a pain for me and my family.Hope to hear from you again.

Hey Hope, my name is Jack I'm a Senegal too, my mom rescued me. I was found in someones backyard at their birdfeeder, I had a hurt leg and it had to be amputated. I now have one leg but I get along just fine. I hope you will too! Stay sweet and I'm sending a vote your way, Jack and friends

welcome from Jangothats so nice of your mommy that she took you home and gave you so a nice home,don't bite your mommy when she is cleaning your cage,you have to be nice cutie :)i never woud bite mommy,but i try to bite the rest of my family hihihi, i'm a big mommy's boy,but mommy says i have to be nice,wonder why,she is spoiling me ,not the rest of the family LOL,anyway i know they all love me :) here is a vote for you little one Jango

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